Kuroko no Memory
by blackkyu
Summary: Sequel to "Not what we'd expect", Kise and Kuroko are now living in a rather unknown area of Japan, and while some individuals couldn't care less about the oddity surrounding their newest neighbor, others simply can't ignore it, especially when the old land lady and her creepy little assistant get involved.
1. Land Lord

**Disclaimer: I own naughta (and this count's for all chapters following)**

Kuroko no Memory

Chapter One: Land Lord

She hadn't noticed at first, how strange the new tenant was. Sure, he was quit handsome for someone so young, and, yes, the way he skipped home from work was a tad bit odd, and sometimes she could swear she's seen him talking to thin air, but then he'd turn and he'd have one of those fancy new ear pieces in, making her wonder about his job. He was a good kid, a little crazed, and she could have sworn she recognized his face from somewhere, and she didn't want him mingling with the wrong crowd (for there was no way someone so young could possibly be that rich).

However, she never noticed simply how strange, how odd, the new tenant was until little Rion, a young boy with an ever blank face, and her assistant (a volunteer from long ago), had pointed out that it was rude never to acknowledge the tenants companion. She had told the boy, of course, that the young man had no companion, and while at first it looked like Rion was ready to protest, the boy stayed silent, never to mention it again. But it had awakened a seed of doubt within her, what if someone was there? Was she really, truly, so rude as to ignore them?

It wasn't till the next day that she found out more about the new tenants mysterious companion. She'd been cleaning up the recently vacated room, just beneath the young man's, with Rion when a strange sound was heard. She had ignored it at first, but the noise was persistent, clanking and banging. "He's cooking," Rion declared, not once looking up, dutifully continuing his task of picking up trash and cleaning the windows (how the child was such a wonderful multi-tasker was far beyond her). She had, of course, wanted to ask exactly 'who' was cooking, considering the only resident of that room was currently off at work, she had seen him depart herself, and he'd yet to return. But after spending much time with the child who was, sadly, her only true companion, she knew that she'd get no answer. Not when she could figure it out herself.

With a sigh, she left the room to her assistant and proceeded to the floor above. She wouldn't nock, she never did, her old age giving her both confidence and experience enough simply not to care, no matter what she walked in on. And so she had swiftly opened the door, entering the apartment with a silent grace only age and a history of dealing with thieves could grant.

Skillfully she particularly danced her way to the kitchen, and halted. She couldn't bring herself to so much as blink as she stared at the scene before her, pots and spatulas and other cooking utensil's flying about, pulled by unseen strings. She wasn't scared, no, she had dealt with ghosts before, knew their work, but this was the first time she had ever seen them cook. And with such skill and grace to boot! If this ghost was capable to talking, or communicating in some way, she decided, she'd ask for some advice.

After all, she couldn't keep relying on Rion to do the cooking.

It took a long while, in which she took silent notes and gave equally silent praise, before the ghost (still unseen) noticed her presence. Of course, because the ghost was invisible, she had no way of knowing when, exactly, the ghost noticed, but the sudden silence filling the kitchen was a dead giveaway.

Suddenly paper was thrust into her face, a neat set of letters hurriedly scratched upon its surface with a random pen, floating in the air.

_You should leave_.

She knew well enough that it wasn't a threat, simply a warning, noting the time from the clock that hung atop the stove, she knew the ghost was right, the young man would return anytime now, and he wouldn't take kindly to her intrusion, he loved his privacy after all, and, seeing the ghost, she supposed she could understand. If anyone else were to notice, they might call an exorcist and try to get rid of it.

"You have nothing to fear," she laughed, shaking her head and allowing grey locks to fall in her face, "I will leave shortly, and I will not tell, that is—" she paused, particularly feeling the dread that rolled off the invisible being, "so long as you promise to teach me how to cook."

The shock did not have to be seen, and she laughed once more, perhaps the time spent with the seemingly emotionless child downstairs was good for her after all, if it gave her the ability to read the feelings of a ghost, or, perhaps ghosts could project their feelings, or was that ability limited? She made a mental note to ask Rion later, the child knew far too many things to be normal, but at times like these she supposed his knowledge could come in handy.

_You want me to teach you how to cook?_

"Yes," she smiled, tilting her head to the side before realizing something, perhaps Rion's influence wasn't completely good after all, her manners appeared to be deteriorating, "Ah, I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Etsuko Airi, you are?"

The ghost took a while to answer.

_Tetsuya Kuroko_

She chuckled lightly, "Well, Tetsu-chan," the ghost seemed to jolt, the paper flinching back, but more out of surprise than anything else, "till next time."

With a slight skip to her step she walked out of the apartment, lightly closing and locking the door behind her, before walking down the stairs, passing the skipping young man, with a smile she returned to her helper and nodded once to herself, happy to have solved at least one mystery. After all, who wouldn't skip home when they were greeted with such wonderful cooking skills?

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**A/N: We still have awhile before I can't write anymore, so I figured I might as well post this. And, for those curious, yes, most of the chapters will be in someone else's POV, not Kuroko's or Kise's. This is due to the title, and there was some foreshadowing in this chapter. Anyway, tell me what you think, personally I love Etsuko, but how about you guys? **

**Beyond that, if I have time I'll post another, but as it's getting closer to the 17****th**** of March I'm getting busier, so the chapters might all be this short. **


	2. The Boss, and everything between

Chapter Two: The Boss, and everything between.

Unlike the other's he knew full well who the new resident of their little segment of Japan was, Ryota Kise, the model. Or, more specifically, the ex-model, as he suddenly, under mysterious circumstances, vanished. Sure, the news claimed he died in the accident at the bridge (and who'd deny that? Considering surviving was almost impossible), but he didn't believe a word of it. Kise, one of the Generation of Miracles, would not die so easily.

Besides, the GoM acted far too calmly for such a thing to be true. Oh, yes, they put up a show for the press, a very convincing one at that, but he had connections, spies, everywhere. Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to even dare step on Akashi's toes, he didn't wasn't to die just yet. So he kept everything he knew secret. Like a good little boy he kept his trap shut.

At first that wasn't all that hard, simply ignore the man whenever he entered the convenience store, and get all transactions over with as quickly as possible.

But when things around Kise started moving, it got more difficult.

The food the ex-model would buy would always move back and forth, just slightly, just enough to catch the man's eye, and with a small smile the ex-model would proceed to place the moving product in his basket, only to advance to the next one.

Ignoring such things in real life was easy, but when he had to go over the security tapes it was disturbing, especially when he'd notice a small smudge, a light grey cloud, where the object was. Or noticing how, sometimes, Kise would stretch out his hand, just a bit, and a segment of the cloud-thing would stretch out and settle in the offered hand. He was willing to complain, more than willing, when he noticed how the ex-model would sometimes…kiss…the cloud, but then Akashi would send one of those warning messages, disguised as a simple hello, a greeting.

Or that creepy kid, the assistant of the old land lady (how old was she again? Sixty?) would stop by and stare. Yes, perhaps having a cute kid staring at you won't seem threatening, but he knew better, behind that emotionless face, those seemingly dead eyes, lay a fighter, a killer. It might not be obvious to others, but he had a hand in the underworld, and no one messed with that world and didn't meet at least one killer, and no one survived, unless they could tell the difference, between killers and non.

Still, it had been over a month since Kise had joined their little community, and he really, really, was getting tired of how bold the ghost (yes, he finally accepted the fact) was getting. Now actually opening the door to the store, lifting things off shelves, full blown _snacking_ on vanilla flavored Pocky, a hold over, apparently, till they went for milkshakes.

Thankfully, the ghost did none of this when other customers were inside the store, but that still didn't particularly help, considering Kise came in at god awful hours, usually when everyone else was getting ready for bed, or just waking up.

This might make you wonder when he took breaks, consider he was the one who handled the costumers, the security, and the stocking, and the truth was, he didn't. He was the owner of the store, the boss, and everything between. Why didn't he hire anyone else? Because paying them would be troublesome. Besides, he was good at this, really, really good. Which is why it annoyed him to no end that a simple _ghost_ was throwing off his rhythm, of course, the death threats didn't help much.

But it had been a _month_, and while he had a great deal of patience when it came to his work, outside of it he had none, keeping his trap shut about such a nuisance (who was getting more annoying, more bold, by the day) was bothersome. With a sigh, he decided to work around his restrictions, sweating, as if prepared to be struck dead any second, he dialed a number.

"_This is the great Exorcist Ammiel Asger, please leave a message, I'm busy kicking some demon ass."_

"Hey, Ammiel, it's Cailean Conall, I've got a little bothersome visitor, and I was wondering if you could do something about it, call back when you have the chance."

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**A/N: Alright, so Kuroko's boldness will be explained in the next chapter, and thanks for leaving a review! Though I don't have much time I still have some, and the review (along with you followers and favoriters) helped me get this chapter out, sure it's rather short, but I figured this was a good place to stop. **


	3. Cooking

Chapter Three: Cooking…

Now, Etsuko never claimed to be the best cook in the world, but she could swear Rion and the ghost were overreacting. For one, the boy ran to the bathroom (and was now silently vomiting), and, secondly, the ghost had somehow blocked the entrance to the kitchen, making it impossible for her to enter. All she did was add some mustard and vinegar!

With a sigh Etsuko resigned herself to the coach, waiting for her assistant to return.

Ever since she'd asked Tetsuya to teach her how to cook (two weeks after Kise—Rion had firmly informed her, pounding it in her head—had moved in) the ghost has been giving her lesson's during lunch. And perhaps that was why the young ghost had been getting more and more active lately. It wouldn't be hard to forget one was dead when they were constantly interacting with the living.

Still, one would think that with such a great teacher, and a wonderful assistant more than willing to go out and buy the necessary ingredients, she'd actually get somewhere, become _better_. But Etsuko appeared cursed, forever unable to make something as simple as toast correctly. In fact, Tetsuya had even declared that she was worse than some girl named Riko.

She had tried to ask who the girl was, but Rion had swiftly intercepted and directed the conversation in a more neutral direction. Sometimes Etsuko wasn't sure if she should be grateful to the boy, or deck him.

_It's almost time for you to go._

The notebook held aloft before her declared. Sighing she scrunched her eyes together and asked something she'd wondered for a long time.

"Why don't you tell Kise about us?"

The ghost hesitated, before—in her mind—shrugging.

_He'd probably get offended that you entered without his permission. _

"You're not sure?"

Once again Tetsuya hesitated.

_He's rather protective. _

"Yet he takes you out to the store almost every day." Rion stated as he calmly strode out of the bathroom, absolutely not looking like he'd been puking his brains out for the last five minutes, Etsuko envied him.

_Not everything he does makes sense. _

Rion nodded, "Human's do funny things when they're in love."

She wanted to argue that Rion was human as well, and thus had no right to say such things in a rather dismissive manner, but sometimes she wondered, she doubted, and if ghosts could exist then why couldn't anything else?

"Even the dead do strange things…" the boy continued, trailing off and looking at the door, prepared to leave on such an odd note.

But Tetsuya shared in her confusion, and perhaps he too thought the boy's actions rude, for the notebook flew in front of his face, as if thrown with rather unnecessary force. The boy simply blinked.

_What do you mean?_

Perhaps being dead slowly destroyed ones manners, or perhaps her assistant just had that effect on people, then again, being polite while stuck with only writing as you're means of communication would annoy anyone. Why bother with manners when by the time you're done writing the conversation has already been left behind?

"I mean," Rion sighed, "that you've been getting a tab bit to bold as of late."

"_Bold?"_ Etsuko and Tetsuya asked together.

"The store." Rion gave in way of an explanation, "Having Kise kissing air isn't the smartest thing in the world."

Tetsuya seemed to realize her assistants point, for he remained silent. And while she wanted to comfort the ghost, explain that it was perfectly normal for teenagers to get a little reckless, especially given the circumstances, she knew she had no _right_ to say such things. This was something the two lovers would have to deal with on their own.

She understood, after all, the reason why Kise always took Tetsuya with him. For the young man worked long hours, and by the time he got home he was bushed, she could see it, through the skipping and smiles, and plain out _beaming_. For someone so in love, he'd do anything to spend time with the ghost, even bring him out to go shopping. She, of course, knew that Kise still had far more time off than any other normal working young man, but if what her other tenants said was correct, he stayed up longer then he was supposed to. Though, that would also explain the sudden thump some of her tenants complained about, more than likely from Tetsuya knocking the young man unconscious.

Of course, the ghost's own actions were understandable as well, and, perhaps, slightly, maybe, their fault, to a rather _small_ extent.

Oh, who was she kidding?

No one could blame Tetsuya for getting bold when the only reminder of his deadness was when he phased through things, or was alone—which wasn't often anymore. Rion could full blown see him (once again leaving her envious), and she was interacting with the ghost every day. It wouldn't be a far stretch for the human mind to almost make believe that Tetsuya was simply a mute and that she, at the age of sixty, was going blind.

"Etsuko." Rion called, drawing her out of her thoughts and gesturing to the outside, one hand holding the door open.

She knew full well that she had no right to comfort the ghost, no right at all, but looking to her assistant he seemed to understand, with in an inaudible huff, the boy mouthed the number of steps she needed to take, in each direction, to get to Tetsuya.

Taking a deep breath she hugged a cold stretch of air, drawing the cold wall of _something_ towards her. "Tetsuya, tomorrow, at five o'clock, I expect you and Kise to come to my—" looking to the waiting boy she smiled and corrected herself, "_our_ room, don't eat anything before hand," she felt the cold air tense, "Rion'll cook." She reassured before letting go and walking a safe distance around, exiting the apartment. Turning around she smiled in the general direction of the ghost, "till tomorrow Tetsu-chan~"

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**A/N: Hopefully that explains Kuroko's actions, as mentioned in the previous installment the sealing (and death) can alter a ghosts personality slightly. Also, Kise already knows that Akashi has a hand in the store, so he doesn't fear taking Kuroko there, but, like Akashi, he didn't expect Cailean to actually find a way around his orders. **

**Hopefully you lot enjoyed this chapter, anyway, feel free to tell me what you think about the characters, and you're wishes, I'll see if I can do anything about them. **


	4. Kise, the talk

Chapter Four: Kise, the talk

Kise wasn't all that surprised to learn the land lady (he never bothered to ask for her name, though Kuroko had referred to her as Etsuko) had found out about his love. While he was, admit ably, a tad bit of an airhead, and whenever he returned home from work his whole soul was set on his beautiful (and super cute) ghost, he did notice other things as well.

Then again, the major tip off was the random day he skipped home, saw the land lady walk _away_ from his room, and then, upon entering, found his love smiling. Sure, it wasn't as obvious on Kuroko as it was on others, but the smile was radiant, and his eyes shone with some hidden knowledge, with _acceptance, _with _hope_, and _laughter_.

Kuroko wasn't supposed to look that way unless Kise _himself_ caused it. Only _he_ was allowed to bask in the wonder of Kuroko's smiles, drown in the glimmer of the ghosts eyes. So, smiling, he had ran out after the only possible culprit (no one else had keys to all the apartments, and Kuroko would never open the door). Ignoring his loves cries he had jumped down the stairs and ran toward the room the old women had entered, but the child, the land lady's creepy little assistant, had interfered, tripping him with a broom.

The child's dead stare had, surprisingly, made shivers run up his spine and had silenced him, leaving Kise unable to do much besides _listen_ as the child explained the land lady couldn't _see_ Kuroko, not one bit.

The explanation had cooled his rage, and, in a blink, Kise had gone back to his smiling self. He hadn't bothered asking the child if he could see Kuroko, for the model already knew the answer, and from then on Kise had simply let it be. After all, if the land lady couldn't _see_ Kuroko, she couldn't interact with him, right? And, even if she could, she'd never have the ability to see those wonderful small smiles, the beautiful glimmer in the ghosts eyes, which meant they were still all _his_.

For the child, strangely, didn't seem to count.

It was only later, of course, that Kuroko admitted to warning the child about his rage, thus explaining the child's swift reaction. But Kise couldn't find it within himself to be anything but proud; _his _Kuroko was capable of moving at such speed's, awesome!

So he let it slide whenever he noticed the two leaving his home, the old women couldn't see, and the child was far too much like a living doll to count. If they made his beloved happy, if they took away the loneliness, then it was alright, so long as they didn't interfere with their alone time, he'd allow them to live.

Which is why he was currently staring at his love as if the ghost had suddenly sprouted another pair of limbs (of course, should that happen, Kise would still love him).

"At five o'clock…tomorrow?"

The ghost nodded, sitting cross-legged in the air.

"Rion'll cook…?"

Kuroko answered the unspoken question, "The child, and he's rather good at it, he's even given me a few tips."

"Then why doesn't he teach her?"

The ghost shrugged, "he's not much of a talker."

Kise knew there was more to it than that, but currently he was expending lots of self-control trying _not_ to ring the land lady's neck. He allowed the old hag time with his beloved in the afternoon, wasn't that enough! How _dare_ she try to intrude on their precious alone time!

"Ki-kun" Kuroko sighed, using the rather cute nickname he'd accidentally come up with a while ago, and that insured Kise's attention and almost immediate acceptance to any bizarre request the ghost made, "I want to go."

"But why?" the model practically whined.

"They…" Kuroko looked away, to the table, the kitchen, the door, then finally resting his eyes on the window, "brought up some good points."

"Good points?" he almost growled, not liking the depressed aura the ghost was giving off, "did they blackmail you?" he randomly blurted out, then began panicking, in a fit of rage and worry, "they did didn't they? Those bastards, they plan on exorcising you don't they? I'll _kill_ them-"

"Ki-kun!"

The model stilled, shrinking under Kuroko's furious glare.

"I _don't care_ if you kill anyone else, but don't you _dare_ touch them!" Kise's eyes began to water and Kuroko sighed once more before hugging the model, "their friends," Kuroko explained softly while running his hand's through the model's hair, "and, as friends, they pointed out a few issues that we might want to consider," before Kise could take _that_ phrase the wrong way the ghost placed a finger to his lips, "to keep us _safe_." He further explained, "and the meeting is simply a means to talk about it with the both of us in a more relaxed manner, as a slight apology for bringing it up to me on my own."

With a huff Kise firmly planted his face into the crook of Kuroko's neck, hugging the ghost tightly the model slumped in defeat, "and what are these 'few issues'?"

Kuroko laughed, "you'll find out tomorrow."

"How mean~"

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**A/N: yeah…not the best chapter, but it's from Kise's POV, so that should make a few of you happy. Also, I'll be unable to update anything for around a year, so you'll be waiting a long time for this, or any story, to continue.  
**


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